Have you signed up for 02/2012 LOAD yet?

The first time I participated in LOAD it was called the MotherLOAD.  It was awesome!  Lot's of fun.  I did a blog post on my Tips to get ready for LOAD, go here.   Why should you participate?   Here are my top 10 reasons:
 1. It's Fun!
2.  You get daily prompts; helping you to decide what to scrap
3.  You will complete 29 Layouts!!!!  WOW!!!
 4. You get feedback on your LOs.  With a house full of men, I need some positive female feedback on my work.
 5. It's Fun!  (did I say that already?  Well, it is fun!)
 6. You will meet new people from around the world on the boards!  Cool!
 7. You use up old supplies, making room for new! Ha!
 8. You get organized!  At least I did (see the tips blog here
 9.  You get your creative mojo going on!
 10. BECAUSE LAIN EHMANN IS THE COOLEST!!!!!
Go to Layout a Day to learn more about February 2012 LOAD's theme and how you can sign up!  IT STARTS FEBRUARY 1, 2012!!!    And if you want to really see how excited I was the night before LOAD check out this poem I wrote, Twas the Night Before LOAD    See you in the Gallery!!!

Double Take Week 2 Sketch 3 Grilled Cheese

I love these pictures of Walker making his first grilled cheese by his own hands!  I love his Mamarazzi faces in the middle pictures.  I am also submitting this layout for the first day of Informal LOAD.  Patterned Paper and stickers are from Flair Design.  I loved their themed papers and embellishments.  For a sketch girl, they were great because they had sketches on the back of their patterned paper of how to use their materials! 

LOAD: Day 26 Double Take Wk1 Sketch2

I can't believe it!  Today is the LAST DAY OF MOTHERLOAD!!!!!! Whoohoo!!! 26 layouts in 26 days!!!  A total of 43 layouts over the course of 13 weeks!  I am quite proud of myself.  I followed all but one prompt I do believe, even if the prompt was not followed until a few days later!  I will miss Laine Ehman's daily emails challenging me to try something new and different or old and forgotten!  The LAST LOAD prompt was to "SCRAP" whatever you wanted!  Just do it!  So, guilt free, I chose to use Week 1 Sketch 2 of Double Take!  Love this sketch!  It is certainly going to be one of my "go-to sketches"!!  These are the last pictures of Walker's Magic Show.  The picture in the lower left hand corner is of the actual magician's class Walker attended.  Here it is, the last LOAD page:

LOAD: Day 25 Scraplift, Ella Boot Camp Drill # 9

          Today's LOAD challenge was to scraplift a picture, LO, theme, idea from a previous LOAD layout.  I chose to scraplift the self portrait taken during LOAD basic training.  I incorporated the picture with Ella Publishing's Boot Camp Drill #9: Guiding Principles Quiz.  The drill taught by Angie Lucas, encouraged us to use a quiz helping us define our guiding principles for life.  I completely scraplifted her layout design by placing my words of wisdom on the right and used up some "L's" from my letters stash.  I am not happy with the self adhesive clear paper I used for the journaling, but it is done!  Here is my interpretation of both challenges.

LOAD: Day 24 Lyrics; Double Take Wk1 Sketch 1

Not sure why I didn't post yesterday's  LOAD and Double Take class layout, but here it is.  The LOAD challenge for the day was to use a song title or lyrics as the title on a layout.  I was not inspired to use the prompt.  WHAT I really wanted to work on one of the four sketches for the first week of DOUBLE TAKE with Nic Howard and May Flaum at Big Picture Classes .  Therefore, I completed the first out of four sketches for the week as my daily LOAD challenge. Double Take class has TWO fantastic instructors, 4 sketches, 2 examples per sketch each week for 4 weeks!  It is not too late to join us!  Click on Big Picture Classes above to learn more about the class and register.  Go for it!

Only three more days left of LOAD!  The pictures of Walker on the layout are him performing his Magic show which he learned from Landon Stark's Magic class earlier that day.  He was very intent on performing the magic tricks "just so".   The journaling reads "Magician at Work"  "Walker attended a "magical workshop" taught by Landon Stark, a professional magician.  When we got home, he performed a show for us.  Mae Mae was his "assistant".  he was very enthusiastic about his performance - very unusual (for Walker).  Performing trick after trick - I clapped and snapped (photos) eagerly."

ScrapHappy Informal LOAD Blog Hop

Welcome to my blog.  If you participating in the ScrapHappy Informal October LOAD, you should have come from christie.   If not, go lisa hausmann to start the official "unofficial LOAD blog hop".  I am fairly new to blogging, so I have just the basics here.  I wanted to participate in this informal LOAD blog hop because as a newbie to LOAD, last month (I participated in MotherLOAD at Big Picture Classes), I was grateful to the previous blog hop discussing how to prepare for LOAD.  First and foremost, just enjoy the process!  HAVE FUN!!!  It is not to be a stressful event; it is a time for you capture memories on paper! Feel free to look through my blog during the month of September at some of the layouts I made.  Most were made using the prompts, I love lists, so here is my list of "how to prepare" for LOAD.

1.  Get your basics together: glue/tape, cardstock (your favorite and basic colors), BLACK letters (they go with every layout for a quick title), little letters (quick way to create a title without overpowering your page), cutter blades, glue dots, glue lines.  Whatever your go-to scrap items are, have extras on hand.  (This is very important for me because I live in a rural area; so it is a 2 hour drive to a commercial store or on-line ordering for boutique items with wait time for shipping for my favorite tape.)

2.  Get Organized.  I thought I was, but I was not!  Consider organizing your papers, embellishments, etc. by color.  stacy julian has some fun videos regarding this type of organization. I have all my embellishments on magnetic and/or peg boards.  Embellishments are organized by type and then color. My ribbons are organized by color in jars on a shelf.  I finally organized my pattern paper by color. I also broke down and sorted "used" kits into color.  If I used the kit, I then put the embellishments with like embellishments and filed the pattern paper by color.  I also cleaned my space very well. I pulled everything out, cleaned (including the baseboards), purged untouched supplies and sorted by type and color.  The one exception is I do have pattern papers and embellishments also sorted by events/holidays.  I have hanging file folders; so I have an orange folder for Halloween, red folder for Christmas, blue for sports, etc.  I also created special themed folders for pictures I knew I would scrap.  For example, I have a travel folder with themed papers, some embellishments, etc.  There are all kinds of books, blogs, etc on how to organize. I am visual person, so I viewed Stacy Julian's color videos, Let's Scrap Scrabook Room Forum with tons of pictures of "scrap spaces", Paperclipping Roundtable's organization podcast, Getting it all together PRT 053 and Organization on the Move PRT 081, and don't forget to check out Lain Ehman's site.  Then, I just did what worked for me.  (NOTE:  I did this cleaning spree and reorganization the day before I started LOAD, so it is still possible.  I needed a clean space.  I will say I did have a plan prior to cleaning.)

3.  Print Pictures.  To me this is part of getting organized.  Organize those digital photos, upload to printing service and ORDER those pictures.  Get them ALL before you start!  I typically print photos at home, but I did not know what the prompts would suggest and I wanted to be ready for any type of challenge!  Organizing, uploading and printing pictures is my least favorite scrapping activity.  It did not take a lot of time cropping or editing the photos.  I just printed the pictures I wanted in 4x6 and a few favorites in 5x7.  I made a conscience decision to scrap 4x6 photos or crop them by hand to meet my daily prompt needs.  I did take the time to make sure all the printed photos (I had about 300) were sorted and labeled (event and date) on outside of packet.  This made choosing a photo for the daily challenge easy and creating a layout faster.

 (Below are my go-to scrapping needs. They be of help or not.)

4.  Sketches and/or Inspiration:  I love a sketch and/or challenge!  This is my #1 GO-TO item to start a layout! I made sure I had sketches printed for easy referral.  I also collected and printed all the unaccomplished layouts/challenges/lessons from previous scrapbooking classes.  This was helpful.  It kept me off the internet surfing for inspiration, which would have cost ME valuable time.

5.  Pre-Made Kits:  I LOVE KITS!  I have all sorts of kits.  Kits with matching papers and embellishments,  sometimes with and without a suggested layout example.  I also have beautiful kits with papers and embellishments with directions on how to create the layout EXACTLY like the picture!  Of course, the layouts never look exactly like the picture because I have to tweak it, but the point is, sometimes I need to be able to QUICKLY assemble a layout, put my pictures on it and call it a day.  Another approach is create your own kits, which I did too, pull papers, embellishments, journaling tags, ribbons, etc all together and put into a file folder/page protector ready to use!  Cuts down on the decision time!

6.  Photos To Scrap List:  As silly as it sounds, I have a list of events/theme to scrap. It truly helps me focus.  With 300 photos staring at me, I quickly become overwhelmed.  Plus it is always fun to scratch an event/theme off the list once I have scrapped it!  (Again, my go-to item.  You may find this very restricting and uncreative.)

I do believe I am the last on the blog hop list.  I hope the information helps.  Have fun and enjoy LOAD! See you on the boards!

P.S.  I was so excited before starting my first LOAD that the "Eve of the night before LOAD", I wrote a little poem.  If you want a little chuckle, go here  Twas the Night Before LOAD.
The layout above has the poem with pictures of my scraproom on it.  The layout was based on a prompt received during LOAD.

Here is the official list of Blog Hoppers:

Lisa:                        http://lisahausmann.blogspot.com

Katherine:            http://www.csmoferret.blogspot.com

Tambur:               http://myhearties.blogspot.com

Pam:                       http://dailypamage.blogspot.com

Katrina:                http://k84mansramblings.blogspot.com

Lynette

Christie

Lisa M.:            http://lisamzepponi.blogspot.com

Happy Scrapping
Lisa M. Zepponi

LOAD: Day 23 Say it with Numbers

 

      Today's LOAD challenge was to "Say it with Numbers".  I followed Lain's example and scrapped about the numbers I live by during the day with a twist.  I scrapped my schedule when I was Vice President/West Campus Services next to my schedule now as a stay at home mom.  Big difference.  I chose black & white with no picture, because it is as simple as that, it is black and white:  Life with a job and life without a job.  Here it is.  LMZ

LOAD: Day 22 Scrap an "End": Ella Boot Camp Drill #7 Stamping w/ Words

Today's LOAD challenge was to scrap something came to an end.  The end of an era, journey, task, etc.  At first, I thought I would not follow the prompt, because I could not think of anything that had come to an end that wasn't extremely sad or frustrating. That is until, I looked through the wonderful Big Picture Gallery and I found a layout of someone's children who had fallen asleep at the end of dinner at the table!  Too Cute!  Then I thought of ALL those holiday pictures to Niagara Falls and BAM!!!  The last page of my travel album was born!  Thanks Laine! I began with Prima Marketing's Road Trip Collection, "Twists & Turns" entire page.  I did cut the bottom off and used a piece of blue "graphed" paper from the same line to create my subtitle "Memories to remember".  I also decided that this was the perfect layout to incorporate Ella Publishing's Boot Camp Drill #7, stamping with words.  I stamped the title "An Adventure Begins" and the subtitle, Memories to Remember.  My word stamp (my entire stamp) arsenal is limited and old.  And my technique is rough; hence why you see part of the square of the actual block stamp.  But I do like how this layout turned out;  I don't think I would have ever thought of the theme nor used stamps to create the title!  Thanks Laine & Nichol, respectively!

LOAD: Day 21 Cut a picture into a Shape

Today's LOAD challenge was to cut your picture into a shape.  So, I broke out the old Creative Memories shape cutters and cut a picture of Walker in his All Star baseball uniform into a "rounded" star.  This was never my favorite shape cutter, but it fit the theme of the layout!  I also participated in a Let's Scrap challenge to use 3 different pieces of chipboard and alter them.  I covered the upper right star with silver foil, painted the journal chipboard with khaki paint and stickled the arrow red.  I used up some old baseball themed paper and material.  I love these pictures of Walker and his team in the dug out focused on their fellow team mate up to bat!
      Here is my Day 21 Layout:  ALL STAR!

LOAD: Day 20 & Ella Publishing Drill #3

Today's LOAD challenge was to use an action shot you took during training (or any picture you took during training as part of the homework assignments).  The bottom picture is a photo of my scraproom, which was part of our training homework assignments. The picture of above is a candid of me, which my son took while I was sitting at the computer in my scrap room.  I wanted to highlight a little poem I wrote the eve of the eve of LOAD.  The poem can be read in its entirety by clicking on this link Twas The Night Before LOAD .  The names of the scrappers are of a small "accountability group" within MotherLOAD.  I have been waiting all month to scrap this poem with a picture of my scrap room;  today's prompt was the calling! I have had a blast during LOAD!!  I have also incorporated Ella Publishing's Boot Camp Drill #3, stamp a background by Nichol Magorik and Jennifer McGuire's Inspiration lesson of using distress inks.  I stamped the entire "pattern paper" background using Tim Holtz' Distress Inks (Fired Brick, Faded Jeans, Walnut Stain & Spiced Marmalade: my only colors of ink) on multi patterned Inkadinkado stamp.  I placed all four colors of ink on the stamp, misted it with water and randomly stamped a white piece of cardstock, creating a "patterned paper" background. In addition, I used spiced marmalade & fired brick on a dot stamp.  Using the dot stamp, I stamped watercolor paper, misted and cut out the title LOAD using my Cricut.  I matted the title in black cardstock. Last, I used stickles on the dots in the title, making them sparkle.  I tried to pull out the stamped butterfly by including glittered butterflies on the page.   I matted the poem and pictures in Bazzill Bling Cardstock.  I kind of like the look.  I need to procure some new stamps to make this "stamped background" look even better.  I had fun making this layout.   Thanks for looking!

LOAD: Day 20 & Ella Boot Camp: Drill #2

Today's LOAD challenge was to scrap the "action" photo or any photo we took during basic training.  I am hoping to accomplish that today, too but this layout is based on Ella's Publishing Boot Camp's Day #1, Drill #2 (night drill): Use pattern paper.  I chose a bold pattern, a geometric pattern and solid. The funny thing is I really thought I was choosing a bold statement pattern and adding coordinating patters to complement it.  The drill was to focus on how to use pattern papers, how to mix and match pattern papers.  I also focused on one of last week's LOAD challenges, use a bad photo.  These photos were taken last year on my blackberry. The lighting was bad and the chef's movements were fast! Hence the not-so-good photos.  I also included one of the embossed accordian fold flowers from Jennifer McGuire's Inspiration class. Walker had a blast during his first trip to the Hibachi Grill!  I loved seeing his face light up when the chef gave us an extraordinary display of dexterity.  PLUS, I really liked using all these pink papers on this layout to capture the pink tint in the pictures. I don't normally get to use pink on LOs with Walker. The pictures are from summer 2010.


 

LOAD: Day 19 Scrap Out of Order & Ella's Boot Camp Drill #1

Today's LOAD challenge was to scrap out of chronological order.  It was also the first day of Ella's Boot Camp.  Boot Camp lesson was "no-grammar" journaling.  Document something in a pie chart, or comparison of two people on your LO.  I chose to document our daily schedule in a pie chart:  20% sleeping, 30% working or being educated, 15% sports, 15% either hunting (for the boys) or scrapbooking (for me), 10% fighting over homework, 5% watching Netflix streaming Hercules while playing with Daisy Dawg and 5% Deciding what to eat and then either going to get it or popping it in the microwave!  It was a fun challenge!  I also included some last week LOAD challenges, scrap a picture I have already used on a LO, stamp on your LO (row of flowers, title and flower embellishment), scrap something difficult (our daily routine).  I also used a new technique learned in Jennifer McGuire's Inspiration workshop; embossing and using distress inks on watercolor paper.  The embossed/watercolored flower (top left) is my attempt.  Here is our daily schedule layout!

LOAD: Day 18 Color Inpsiration

Today's LOAD challenge was to use the following color inspiration.

  


I think I somewhat accomplished the challenge, but more importantly I created a layout NOT from a "make and style" kit.  I did scraplift the topic and design layout from an American Crafts' designer team member, Revilie Schuit, who posted a similar layout on their blog hop! Click here to see her layout.  Revlie Schuit Thanks!  You inspired me to get my mojo on again!  Here is my layout.

LOAD: Day 16 & Day 17 Charming Boy

LOAD  Challenge was a "free day" today.     Pictures of Walker from church photos.

LOAD: Day 15 Family

Today's LOAD challenge was to scrap a challenging memory. Did that a couple of challenges ago; so you get this layout with a picture of our family, which we took at church.

LOAD: Day 14 Stamping

Stamping is not an old technique for me.  I am enrolled in Jennifer McGuire's stamping class but not I have sat down to try anything.  So, here is a kit I got at a crop in August.  I put a "church picture" of Chet & me on the "journey" page.

LOAD: Day 13 Ritual First Communion

I thought I posted this yesterday, but didn't work.  It was a picture of Walker during First Communion.  Picture of LO is now deleted off computer to make room for more.  Sorry.

LOAD: Day 11 Sketch: Walker BBall

LOAD challenge for 9.11.11 was to use a sketch. I made my layout into a 2 page LO vs. one page. I was able to scrap those baseball portraits, which is always challenging to me. The pictures are of Walker's last year in coach pitch. He played on the Gator's coach pitch team with Robby Howe, Amanda & Ralph Azlin as the coaches.  Glad its done!

LOAD: Day 10 B&W photo, Daisy Dawg

Today's LOAD challenge was to use a black and white photo, plus my snack bag.  I used the black and white photo, lots of old stash but not the scrap bag.  Here is what I came up with:

LOAD: Day 9 Scraps

Today's LOAD challenge was to use scraps.  Well these "scraps" are from a school kit I have.  This LO is from 2nd grade, school pic, name 1st day of school in Walker's handwriting, class picture of last day of school and a picture of Walker presenting his Native American paper and project.  Easy peasy.  Got it done!